


Something She Said

by infinitumetultra



Series: Chop and Change [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Darcy Lewis Smut Week, Darcy's new life is a lot of hurry up and wait, F/M, Steve punches Fury in the face, coulson is the catalyst, mentions of Erik Selvig, mentions of Jane Foster - Freeform, very vague dream sequence smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-22
Updated: 2012-10-22
Packaged: 2017-11-16 19:33:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/543066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinitumetultra/pseuds/infinitumetultra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy is tired of her and Phil being at each other’s throats, and Phil just wants to sort the mess his supposed death has made.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something She Said

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. Ok. This is a long one. The summary doesn’t really even cover everything. Although it’s incredibly late, I’m still using prompts from the Darcy Lewis Smut Week Challenge. This time the prompt was ‘surprise.’ At least there’s like a smidgeon of smutty material this time around. There are mentions of the Marvel One-Shot ‘Item 47’ and a vague Game of Thrones reference. Also, most of the Avengers are featured.

“So you’re sure about Bonnie and Clyde?” Darcy asked looking over the report.

“Yes.” Phil breathed through the exercise he was doing.

“Positive?”

“Yes.”

“They used sloppy second alien tech to rob banks,” Darcy said blandly. “And you want to recruit them?”

“The fact Pollock got the weapon to work is impressive enough.”

“And Claire Weiss?”

Phil paused, “she’s inventive.”

“Do you guys just take whoever happens to stumble upon one of your secrets nowadays?” Darcy asked.

“You’re one of us ‘guys’ now,” Phil deemed appropriate to remind her.

“Trust me, it’s pretty hard to forget.” Darcy retorted. “I don’t know, it just feels like they might be a risky recruitment. You guys are seriously lowering your standards.”

“That fact was established when you were recruited, Lewis.”

Darcy threw a towel at him lazily, which he caught effortlessly. “You’re snappy today, Agent Coulson.”

“You’re irritating today, Agent Lewis.”

Rolling her eyes, she went back to the report at hand. After another two months of physical therapy, Phil was just about ready for light duty as far as the medical division was concerned. A few more sessions with the psych division and a meeting with Fury, then he would be back to work. Darcy had (finally) completed her training and was now officially Agent Lewis – cool new badge and everything. Neither of them even bat an eyelash at the fact that she was sitting on his couch while he went through the day’s workout. Phil was getting stir-crazy, and nervous about the inevitable shit storm of revealing the fact that he was alive. Usually, these were things he could get past but he was having difficulty compartmentalizing. He knew he had to get a hold on it before his next therapy session. Almost dying was, believe it or not, traumatic but it was something he was completely used to. This time shouldn’t have been any different.

“Boss?”

“Hmm?”

Darcy was looking at him with obvious concern, biting the inside of her lip as she actually considered what she was going to say instead of blurting it out. “You okay?”

Of course, she picked up on it. They lived together, and had been in constant correspondence for five and a half months. It wasn’t a long time, in the grand scheme of things, but they were both dealing with heavy changes and challenges in the constant company of one another. Darcy felt it was safe to say she was incredibly attached to her boss, and he was attached to her. Phil wiped at the sweat on his forehead a little, and straightened himself out.

“Fine, Agent Lewis,” he said in that crisp yet polite, standard Agent Coulson tone. “I’m hitting the showers and then we’re hitting the super market.”

“Hitting it as in going shopping, right? Not hitting it as in taking the Pollock/Weiss example and applying it to our own wayward lives?” Darcy felt the frustration bubble and her brain to mouth filter falter. Luckily she was able to steer it in an almost playful direction. “With your ninja skills and my wit we could probably pull it off. Better than sneaking around, trying to be productive for a covert government agency that makes life like three thousand times more difficult.”

“It might be easier if you got over the petulant rebellious attitude towards said cover government agency.” Phil remarked flatly.

“The Bonnie and Clyde life is all too endearing to me right now.” Darcy tried to shrug off the snide remark. “Maybe just the Bonnie part though. You can stay here and sulk if you want to.”

He didn’t dignify that with a response, just left for his shower. She nibbled on her lip until she tasted blood and tried to focus on the report. They were both getting restless and despite what normalcy had formed between them, they couldn’t avoid the thick air of tension that arose now and again. Darcy was clean, and she picked up after herself but Phil was nearly compulsive about things being in their place – a jacket left hanging on the back of a chair at the kitchen table made him arch an eyebrow at her. He made awful coffee and absolutely couldn’t wait until she woke up to have a cup (and he woke up at the ass crack of dawn.)

Then there were the more awkward things, like the few times Darcy had tried very hard to sneak through the house fresh out of the shower to the laundry room in order to get a pair of underwear. As far as Darcy was aware of the working world, your boss wasn’t supposed to see you walking around in only a towel. Especially when she caught his gaze lingering for just a second too long, which might have made her mad but he let it slide when she did the same during his daily physical therapy work outs so she didn’t say anything. Darcy was very committed to not letting those small interactions fester in her mind. She just lumped it into a file labeled: Neither of You Have Gotten Laid in a While, and left it at that. It came down to their lives being weird as hell (even more weird than usual) and being stuck to very limited access with the outside world. Everything was bubbling just under the surface.

After an hour or so, Phil came back to the living room finding Darcy exactly where he had left her. Grabbing the keys off the hook by the door he called out to her. “Lewis.”

Just as she turned keys were being flung towards her face and she barely caught them. “Okay, then, ready to go.”

They moved silently through the motions of getting into the car, and instead of her sitting there and going through her playlists she plugged her iPod in and handed it to him. It wasn’t surprising to her that he chose a random playlist and set it aside; his small way of humoring her without making an effort to go through the vast amount of music she had. The drive was quiet and she was still biting at her lip. Eventually it was all too much for her and she turned down the volume.

“I know I can be a pain in the ass,” she started, “and I know the past five months have been a huge bucket of weird for both of us, but it’s only for a little while longer.” He didn’t respond so she sighed a little, “you’ll get the clearing from psych and Fury wants – no, needed you back like five months ago. I’ll go back to living in a shoebox at HQ, you’ll get your sanctuary back and we can have a somewhat normal workplace relationship instead of me being shoved down your throat and vice versa.”

“Going back isn’t going to be that easy, Darcy,” Phil finally spoke.

“No, not easy but it will lighten up a little.”

“According to Fury my supposed ‘death’ was the catalyst for the Avengers to get their asses in gear,” Phil sounded like he doubted it a little. “He used it to deal a low blow to Captain America’s sense of honor (as well as destroy a very valuable possession of mine) and played on Tony Stark’s delicate mental stability with it. Not sure how he did that… but he did. Thor was present when I was injured, so if he ever comes back —”

“He will,” Darcy found herself saying quickly. The image of Jane looking up at the sky, heartbroken and confused flashing in her mind.

There was a momentary pause, “and they got it together, and they won. But they were lied to, that isn’t going to sit well with them. I don’t even know what the status of the initiative is at this point. It’s a trust issue now, and they barely trusted us to begin with.”

Darcy bit her tongue, although she wanted to point out that the Avengers probably had every right not to trust SHIELD. “And you have to play liaison.”

“Yes.” Phil said curtly. “Along with dealing with two assets who probably aren’t going to be pleased at all with me or Fury.”

“Which assets?”

“Barton and Romanoff.”

“What you get for playing with big guns, Phil.”

He chuckled a little, but the smile quickly faded. “The rest of SHIELD will be easier to get back into steadier waters.”

“So it’s the Avengers you’re worried about.”

Phil nodded, “and my sister.”

Darcy hesitated, “I didn’t know you have a sister.”

“Emily.”

“Younger or older?”

“Older.”

Nodding as she pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket, she asked, “what’s that like?” When he didn’t answer she glanced over and saw him staring at her, waiting for elaboration. “I don’t have any siblings.”

“It’s nice.” Phil said.

“Christ. That was… Touching, Phil, that was so inspiring. Your love brings tears to my eyes.” Darcy said dryly as she parked, shaking her head a little. It earned her a small snort of laughter. Looking over at him, she smiled warmly, “we’ll make it work, Boss. Whatever happens with the Avengers or the rest of SHIELD, we’ll make it work.” Darcy didn’t wait to for a reply or linger too long to look at him. She hopped out of the car, and hoped to God he had a list. Grocery shopping without a list was hell.

-

Dexterous hands were skimming her skin in a pattern she couldn’t really trace, but she felt them everywhere. Lips hot on hers, then slipping down her throat, making her gasp. Hips gyrating against the thigh pressed between her legs, where she was wet and ready and God, so impatient to have him. He was a tease, and she growled in frustration as his fingers played along her skin but never quite made it to where she needed him to be. He probably wanted her to ask for it, to beg and whine – but she was stubborn. Her own hands trailed down his torso, pulling short almost inaudible gasps from him, until she reached his cock, warm and throbbing in her hands.

“Darcy,” he sounded far off.

“Yeah,” she breathed back, smile playing at her lips.

“Darcy,” more insistent this time but still distanced.

“Mmm, Phil,” she responded in a moan.

“Darcy,” this time he was closer, sounding less dazed and more demanding. “Get. Up.”

“What?” Darcy’s eyes blinked open and all she saw a blurry shape in the doorway. “Phil?”

“Out of bed,” That was his Agent Coulson voice. “We’re running behind.”

“Oh.” As reality sunk in, and the haze of her dream wore off she was left with a flush on her skin and a distracting tingling between her legs. Also, a decent amount of embarrassment. “Right. Sorry, Boss.”

He didn’t give her a reply, just walked away closing the door behind him. Sitting herself up in bed she let herself frown and curse quietly for a moment before checking the time. They really were behind. Darcy pulled herself out of bed and moved for the bathroom, trying to shake off the dream. It didn’t take her too long to get ready, but she couldn’t meet Phil’s eye when she finally left her bedroom. He handed her a cup of coffee, and placed a plate at her designated spot at the small dining table. She sat down with a muttered thanks, and dug into her omelet.

Phil was back in one of his trademark suits, and wore a small frown as he paused by her side, touching her cheek and then her forehead.

“Um…” Darcy nearly choked on the bite of food in her mouth. “What?”

“Don’t get sick on me now, Lewis,” he said before moving to sit across from her.

“I’m not?”

“You slept in later than usual today… and you’re face is flushed.”

Oh. “I’m fine,” she grinned, maybe a bit too widely.

He didn’t say anything, but he narrowed his eyes at her a fraction. It was quiet for a long time, thick tension was in the air. “Don’t be nervous about today. We’ll make it work.”

She was brought back down to Earth by his parroting her own words to her from two weeks ago. Today was the day. The BIG day. The one where Phil was officially back. He had managed to reign in any doubts and fears he had in his mind so he could pass a psych evaluation, and Darcy had been honest in her own debrief on the matter. That she had to debrief on Phil’s state made her uncomfortable, Fury never mentioned it, but she soldiered through it and got it done. Darcy could manage to shove an erotic (very nice) dream about her boss to the back of her mind for the sake of making sure she was completely present for the day. Regardless of how much she loved that he was back in his suit.

‘Stop. It.’ She berated herself. ‘What do we say to the God of Lust, Lewis? Not today.’

Phil really needed her to be on form for this special day, something they both knew because a) she’d nestled her way quickly into invaluable importance to his life and b) he had made her pancakes. He only ever made pancakes when he was apologizing or trying to convey some sort of admiration. She realized that when he made them for her the day after she brought home the newest Captain America trading cards that were being printed, and the time he made them for dinner after he actually snapped at her (it wasn’t pretty) for being difficult (admittedly, she was being a total brat) about having to learn how to shoot a gun.

Darcy knew she needed him too, but she wasn’t sure how to really let him know that. Except by putting on her big girl panties and getting ready to face whatever may come. Her training had taken her far, she knew the ropes (mostly theoretically) by now but she still felt way in over her head.

She beamed at him, “I don’t do nervous, boss.”

Phil drove them back to headquarters, and Darcy filled the silence with a playlist titled ‘Surviving Insane Demi-Gods and Taking Names.’ It was their playlist, she had told him, it was their thing. Surviving the wreckage of inter-dimensional familial issues. Seriously. And Darcy thought Oedipus and Heracles had issues. Phil hadn’t said that it was one of very few things, that they had almost two decades of difference between them. Because an age difference shouldn’t matter in a workplace relationship. She was his PA, who cared that she was just barely on the other side of her twenties. But it nagged at him regardless. Darcy had a tendency to rant about the relationships and mishaps of animated ponies (a show meant for children much younger than her) and then managed to knock him on his ass (theoretically) with a huge bout of wisdom. And she had done a spectacular amount of growth in six months. He needed her today. Phil was nervous about going back. He believed in all of the Avengers (yes, even Stark), and the initiative was his baby – he didn’t want to ruin it by not actually being dead.

“You’re thinking really loudly, Phil,” Darcy warned. “It’s clashing with my tunes.”

“I’m not thinking any louder than usual.”

“Yes you are.” Darcy said. “You’re brows are all… crinkled together. And you’re not tapping your fingers along to Amy Winehouse. It’s throwing me off. Stop it.”

“Sorry,” he said.

“No problem,” she reached down to grab her iPod but he grabbed it before her and started the song over again.

Phil was sure to tap his fingers and keep his face passive. He recited her own words to her that morning (we’ll make it work) and recited them mentally to himself again. Like he had from the moment she said them. He was Agent Phil Coulson, and he always managed to make everything go as smoothly as possible. She was Agent Darcy Lewis and she had a very unique way of making things fall into place. They would make it work. He glanced over at her; hair pulled out of her face into a neat bun, eyes shining bright with nerves but mostly determination, and her lips quirked upwards in a crooked nonchalant smile. She looked almost stoic.

“Here we go,” Darcy said as the car stopped. Breaking the facade in the last moment she could get away with it, she grinned warmly at him.

Phil very nearly grinned back. “Let’s get to work, Lewis.”

By the time they were out of the car, her insouciant smile was back and his face was completely impassive. They didn’t say anything as they began their journey into headquarters. Phil’s walk was completely normal to the untrained eye, and physical therapy had gotten him far but healing took a lot of time – he was still slower than he used to be. At least he didn’t feel out of breath. Darcy somehow made the tiny bounce she called walking coalesce into a professional if not eccentric (it was Darcy, after all) appearance. They were there now; no chances to bail or half-ass their way through what would be a truly trying first day. Darcy could feel the energy flowing around them, as weird as it sounded, just underneath the surface was the ability to wrangle and dominate the impossible.

From the moment they walked into headquarters, Darcy began a mental count of reactions. She was sure to not react to them, and just keep her attentions focused on getting to Fury’s office but she was keeping score. No one stopped them on their way in, but the receptionist gawked. By the time they were off the elevator onto the level where Fury’s office resided she had counted thirty-six double takes (three triple takes, one quadruple take that nearly ended in a hallway collision), twenty disbelieving stares and one outburst. Darcy couldn’t keep a straight face when someone yelled ‘I KNEW IT’ loudly, but she didn’t look back and even Phil’s lip twitched.

Agent Sitwell came around a corner and fell into step with them, muttering something that went way over Darcy’s head. Coulson muttered something back and Sitwell actually laughed before breaking away, so she knew it was funny but thought maybe it was one of those ‘you had to be there’ type of jokes. Eventually Agent Hill approached and Darcy was so enthralled in keeping up with Phil she very nearly bumped into him when the two agents stopped abruptly, four feet away from each other.

For what seemed like forever and a day (which was really only a couple of seconds) they engaged in an intense staring contest. After a second Hill reached out her hand, and Coulson shook it a barely there smile on his lips. She looked to Darcy and gave her a little nod, to which she gave back a tight smile, and then back over to Phil.

“Most of the Avengers are here.” Hill said. “Captain Rogers stayed local, and Stark managed to convince Banner to stay in his tower for a while. Romanoff and Barton just got back from a leave of absence.”

“Director Fury is speaking to them?”

A small nod. “No explosions or mainframe overrides yet so … he probably hasn’t told them yet.”

Phil’s eyebrow twitched. “No word on Thor?”

“Not from him or his brother.” Hill said. “Foster is being difficult about negotiations on coming to work with Stark’s R&D department, and Selvig is taking some time before getting back into inter-dimensional science.”

Darcy had to bite her tongue to keep from interrupting but she felt a weird tug at her gut hearing Jane and Erik mentioned. She simply looked to Phil.

“Thank you, Agent Hill.”

Another solitary nod to the both of them and she was off.

Phil glanced at Darcy, who shrugged a little. She could interrogate someone later about Jane and Erik. They were turning the final corner to Fury’s office, his receptionist was on the phone talking quickly and quietly when she came into view. Phil’s shoulders stiffened a little and his pace picked up, Darcy braced herself and went to place a hand on her taser. She kept forgetting that her taser was only for when she was off duty, and still felt a little surprised to feel an actual firearm at her hip. Her hand still stayed on it, however, and she almost drew it when the door to Fury’s office burst open.

Steve Rogers was everything the history books and newsreels promised him to be, even out of his uniform. Tall, hunky and looking like he had been carved by freaking angels. There was a lot of noise coming from the now open door as the Black Widow called out and followed after Rogers – only to be shadowed by Clint Barton (who she had actually met formally in New Mexico.) None of them looked very happy and there were still two missing. While Romanoff tried to talk the Captain down, Barton turned as Fury sauntered out – followed by Tony Stark himself and a rumpled Bruce Banner.

“Shit.” Phil muttered under his breath.

She didn’t have time or the right mind to tease him about his slip up. Fury’s nose was bleeding, Darcy quickly realized. Stark looked almost lost and Banner was pinching the bridge of his nose. “Uh. Remember when you when you were all doubty about the Avengers not really caring about your so-called death?” Darcy murmured.

If Phil was going to respond he was cut off by Fury saying, “Agent Coulson.” Despite looking irritated as hell, and the slightest bit regretful he managed to keep a stern tone of command in his voice. “Right on time.”

“Earlier might have been better, it seems,” Coulson said.

There was a weird moment where everyone was looking in their direction. Darcy knew she had probably been noticed, but all of their attentions were on Phil. She wanted to elbow him gently, make him say something instead of this weird stare off going on but there was no way to do it without it being obvious. Too much focus was on him now, every move would be catalogued.

“You’re really back,” it was Rogers. Blood on his hands from Fury’s face.

“Yes, Captain,” Coulson said. “It’s probably best if we finish this conversation elsewhere.”

“My office is open if anyone wants to migrate back into it.” Fury said, and none of them looked to eager to do so.

“Why don’t we do that and you get your nose checked out,” Darcy found herself saying before she could actually think. There was no way this was going to go well with him still present, and she had promised that they would both make this day go as smoothly as possible. Everyone was looking at her now. “Sir.” She added on meekly, for the sake of lessening the glare Fury aimed at her.

“Agent Lewis is right, Director.” Coulson, lovely man that he was, backed her up.

Fury seemed to want to stubbornly protest but one glance around at his response team, and he conceded. “Very well then.”

They waited until he passed to begin moving for the door, the Avengers all followed and took seats. Darcy just lingered off to the side while Phil waited a few moments. Romanoff was staring at her, and Darcy wanted to pay to see her and Phil have a staring contest. Glancing over at Phil, whose lip just barely twitched, she gave him a lopsided grin.

“Surprise.” Phil said dryly as he turned back to the team before him.

Darcy was pleased to note that Rogers, Stark and Barton all cracked smiles.

“I apologize for whatever inconvenience Director Fury’s… lie caused.” He said. “For what it’s worth the first week was touch and go – my odds weren’t exactly favorable. Regardless of that, it’s been six months and I assure you all: I am back.”

“It’s not right,” Rogers said. “What he did —”

“No, it wasn’t.” Coulson cut him off. (Darcy wondered how bad he felt about interrupting Captain America.) “Six months is a long time to keep up a cover like that, but as far as the Director was concerned I did die that day.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Barton asked.

Phil smiled a little and sighed. “I’ve been out of the hospital for three months. Had a lung nicked as well as an artery… wasn’t exactly in my top form. Hard to go against an entire agency when you can barely make it up a flight of stairs without passing out.” Straightening out he began speaking again in a more even tone, “this turn of events is not what I had in mind. I still believe in this team, and I would be honoured to work as a liaison and handler once again, but if this will create a problem then —”

“Hey, Agent, we dealt with you being an idiot once,” Stark (finally) spoke up, “remember, that whole taking on Loki alone thing? Yeah. Idiot. Don’t keep doing that, you’ll lower the IQ of the rest of us and,” he made a face, “some of us don’t have many points to spare.”

“What Stark is trying to say,” Rogers piped up, “is that we’d be honored to work have you working with the team.”

After that he stood up and walked towards them. Captain America practically beamed as he shook Phil’s hand and Darcy was pleased to find him smiling back. She hung back and watched as Barton and Romanoff came up and spoke quietly to him, both of them wearing small smiles of their own. Banner gave a wry smile and shook his hand, before wandering out of the room entirely. Stark sauntered up and began a private conversation with Coulson. Darcy’s eyes narrowed, but her view was soon blocked by two SHIELD agents.

“Agent Lewis?” Barton asked.

“Yep,” she popped the ‘p.’ “For the past six months.”

“I haven’t seen you around,” Romanoff stated.

“Been on the D.L.” Wow. Did she actually say that? “I’ve been trying to keep him above water, and that required a lot of hiding away in his office or with him in the hospital.”

“Seriously, they gave you a gun?” Barton asked again.

“Well, I mean they let you and your arcane toy play with the Avengers so… this really isn’t that big of a leap for them.” Darcy snarked.

“It’s not arcane,” he went to defend. “Right, ‘Tasha?”

The Black Widow just shrugged in a noncommittal way leaving Clint looking victimized and Darcy chuckling.

Phil was still reeling. The team’s reaction surprised him. He expected them to be angry about being lied to, hesitant and shut off. A warm welcome back was not at all what he imagined would happen. Stark asked for a word alone, and before he walked with him he noted Darcy speaking with Clint and Natasha. She could handle herself, but he wanted to make sure she was really alright. Tony began speaking, which made him pull his attention back.

“Potts is gonna be pissed, you know,” he said.

Phil smiled a little. “I’ll buy her a new pair of Blahniks to make up for it.”

“Better make it two pairs,” Tony grinned a little. Then actually fidgeted, and looked around the room. “So I was thinking, you know… since the team is an actual team now, maybe it’d be nice to have a place to convene.”

“Convene.” Phil repeated, trying to figure out where this was going.

“Yeah. Look, I filled up eight floors of R&D at the Tower. Before the attack I was just gonna fill the rest of it up with Stark Industries employees but Pep and I were talking reconstruction and I thought… why not make room for the rest of the team?”

Phil’s eyebrows actually rose in surprise. “All of you…under one roof?”

“I know,” Stark nodded his head. “It’s kind of a big step. Stuff like Loki is gonna happen again, it might be better if we don’t have to track everyone down and go through the whole pissing contest shenanigans again.”

“It’s a good idea.”

“Of course it is. It was my idea.”

“Right,” Coulson said dryly.

“And hey, I mean, we’ve got the space, so if you need a place…”

Phil frowned a moment. “If you get the team to agree to live with you Stark, it’s in everyone’s best interest that I am there to supervise.”

“Probably true,” Stark conceded with a grin.

“However, I’ll need my assistant to be with me.” Phil glanced at Darcy.

Stark looked over as well, “Bettie Page, over there?”

“Her name is Darcy Lewis,” Phil said blandly, “and yes.”

“Alright,” Stark said, narrowing his eyes for a moment as if he was figuring something out. “The more the merrier… or something. I gotta go,” he reached into his pocket and checked his phone and began talking louder. It seemed his quiet shock was over with. “Bruce and I are working on convincing Selvig to come back. Try to get Thunderthighs back.” He began making his way for the door.

Darcy snorted

“Hey, Phil!” Stark said in the doorway, “good to have you back.” Then he sauntered off.

“Well that was cute,” Darcy said.

“I might have preferred it when he thought my first name was Agent.”

“We could probably get it legally changed,” Darcy offered with a face full of mock sympathy.

“I think I’ll get through it.”

“So,” Darcy said, “do think Fury will hang me by my toes in the dungeons for sassing him?”

“I don’t think we have dungeons.”

“Well, that’s comforting.”

They unfortunately had to leave the rest of the Avengers behind. A lot of work had to be done; coming back from the dead created a lot of paperwork. It wasn’t the first time she had been cooped up in his office until ludicrous hours of the night, but it was the first time she had done it with him actually there. At the end of the day, when only the janitorial squad and very dedicated agents were still at headquarters Phil and Darcy took off for home. Neither of them really considered that this technically could have been the day she moved out, and for the next three weeks she stayed with him. Stark finally badgered and convinced most of the team to come stay in his tower, Phil figured Natasha and Barton would come around eventually – and might be easier to convince with a more familiar face around. His invitation was delivered personally by Pepper Potts herself. When Darcy got the invitation to go along and live in Avengers Tower with him, she was surprised.

“Hey, I got like an official invite to go live with Stark and the Avengers…” Darcy said.

“I told Stark if he rallied the team to move into the tower I would go along,” Phil said.

“And…?” She asked. “Why did I get one?”

Phil looked at her almost incredulously. “I made it clear you would have to come with me.”

Darcy was not blushing. That heat she felt in her cheeks? She was imagining it. Darcy Lewis was not blushing because of her boss. She really wasn’t. “Oh.”

“Is that a problem?” Phil seemed cautious now.

“No!” She said quickly. “No, not at all. Just…uh… thanks.”

Phil narrowed his eyes at her.

“It’s great, I just wasn’t expecting it is all.” She said.

“I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, Lewis,” Phil went back to work.

“Eh,” Darcy said with a grin, “could be worse I guess.”


End file.
